---
type: "Bill"
title: "Marriage - As enacted, clarifies that a person is not required to solemnize a marriage. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 29 and Title 36."
description: "Marriage - As enacted, clarifies that a person is not required to solemnize a marriage. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 29 and Title 36."
jurisdiction: "us/states/tn"
legislature: "Tennessee General Assembly"
session: "113"
identifier: "HB 878"
citation: "Tennessee HB 878 (113)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Marriage"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Fritts"]
version_count: 2
action_count: 27
vote_count: 5
first_action: "2023-01-30"
last_action: "2024-03-15"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/a7febd75-9b24-4e94-8504-1a3301b8cb66"
source_url: "http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB0878&GA=113"
source_hash: "e8441386922f2ee1dfa958ab042001d00dedb9db37e9321599f879862bdafb23"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-tn"]
---

# Tennessee HB 878 (113) — Marriage - As enacted, clarifies that a person is not required to solemnize a marriage. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 29 and Title 36.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Amendment SA0514** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/113/Amend/SA0514.pdf)
2. **Current Version** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/113/Bill/HB0878.pdf)

## Votes

- HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE: H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/6/2023 3/2/2023 (2) — **0–0** (fail) · lower
- HOUSE CHILDREN & FAMILY AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Civil Justice Committee 2/21/2023 — **0–0** (pass) · lower
- FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 3/6/2023 Passed (1) — **74–22** (pass) · lower
- FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 2/12/2024 Passed (1) — **27–5** (pass) · upper
- HOUSE CIVIL JUSTICE COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee 3/1/2023 — **0–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Fritts — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2023-01-30** Filed for introduction `filing`
- **2023-02-01** Intro., P1C. `introduction`
- **2023-02-02** P2C, ref. to Civil Justice Committee `referral-committee`
- **2023-02-07** Assigned to s/c Children & Family Affairs Subcommittee `referral-committee`
- **2023-02-15** Placed on s/c cal Children & Family Affairs Subcommittee for 2/21/2023
- **2023-02-21** Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Civil Justice Committee `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2023-02-22** Placed on cal. Civil Justice Committee for 3/1/2023
- **2023-02-28** Sponsor(s) Added. `sponsorship`
- **2023-03-01** Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/2/2023
- **2023-03-01** Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2023-03-01** Sponsor(s) Added. `sponsorship`
- **2023-03-02** Sponsor(s) Added. `sponsorship`
- **2023-03-02** H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/6/2023
- **2023-03-06** Passed H., as am., Ayes 74, Nays 22, PNV 0 `passage`
- **2023-03-06** Sponsor(s) Added. `sponsorship`
- **2023-03-06** H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0065) `amendment-passage`
- **2023-03-07** Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen. `receipt`
- **2023-03-09** Received from House, Passed on First Consideration `introduction`
- **2024-02-12** Passed Senate, Ayes 27, Nays 5 `passage`
- **2024-02-12** Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill. `substitution`
- **2024-02-14** Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker. `enrolled`
- **2024-02-15** Signed by H. Speaker `passage`
- **2024-02-17** Signed by Senate Speaker `passage`
- **2024-02-20** Transmitted to Governor for his action. `executive-receipt`
- **2024-02-21** Signed by Governor. `executive-signature`
- **2024-03-15** Effective date(s) 02/21/2024
- **2024-03-15** Pub. Ch. 511

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/a7febd75-9b24-4e94-8504-1a3301b8cb66`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Tennessee legislature records).